MANILA, Philippines — Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Pia Cayetano are expected to return to the Philippines this weekend, just days after their departure for Singapore drew public attention amid separate investigations involving their brother, according to National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag.
Matibag said Friday, September 11, that the NBI had received information indicating that the two senators could arrive either late Saturday, September 12, or Sunday, September 13.
The NBI chief stressed that there was nothing inherently illegal about the siblings’ overseas trip. However, the timing has attracted scrutiny because the bureau is simultaneously investigating alleged irregularities connected to the 2019 Southeast Asian Games and projects linked to Taguig.
BI confirms Cayetanos left the country
The Bureau of Immigration confirmed on September 10 that Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano had left the Philippines.
The agency said there were no hold-departure orders or derogatory records against either senator at the time of their departure, meaning there was no legal restriction preventing them from leaving the country. The BI declined to disclose specific travel details because of data-privacy rules.
Alan Peter Cayetano was reportedly seen at Ninoy Aquino International Airport before traveling to Singapore.
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian also said senators do not need to seek permission for personal overseas trips; approval is required for official Senate travel.
Pia Cayetano rejects speculation
Pia Cayetano has publicly pushed back against speculation surrounding her trip to Singapore.
In a social media livestream, she said she was in Singapore to support the Philippine national padel team and insisted that she was not hiding from authorities. She also criticized what she described as stories being created about her whereabouts.
Her statement, however, did not address her brother Alan Peter’s situation in detail.
Why Alan Peter Cayetano is under scrutiny
The timing of the trip is particularly significant because the NBI is investigating alleged irregularities surrounding the Philisgoc, the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee, which handled the country’s hosting of the 2019 SEA Games.
At the center of the investigation is the controversial P55-million SEA Games cauldron.
Matibag previously said the NBI was considering including Alan Peter Cayetano among respondents in complaints that could be recommended to the Department of Justice. The NBI is examining Cayetano’s role in PHISGOC and why he presented himself as the organization’s chairman.
The NBI has said that Cayetano was not listed as a member of PHISGOC’s board of directors, but investigators are examining whether he nevertheless exercised authority over the organization.
GMA News separately reported that Matibag said the lack of a clear paper trail has made it difficult for investigators to directly connect Cayetano to alleged financial irregularities. The bureau is nevertheless looking into whether his actions could constitute an unauthorized exercise of authority.
NBI says complaints could come soon
The investigation has moved beyond preliminary political exchanges.
Matibag has said the NBI discovered new documents and witness testimony concerning alleged irregularities involving PHISGOC. Investigators have also examined an alleged payment arrangement involving the SEA Games cauldron.
Philstar reported that complaints were expected to be prepared as the NBI reviewed additional documents.
The broader PHISGOC investigation is also significant because Matibag previously said the organizing committee received approximately P6.7 billion in government funds, while total resources could have exceeded P10 billion when private-sector funding was included.
Separate flood-control investigation adds another layer
The SEA Games probe is not the only issue putting the Cayetano name under scrutiny.
The NBI has also been investigating alleged “ghost” flood-control projects in Taguig, Cayetano’s political stronghold. The bureau opened an inquiry into projects allegedly linked to the area, while questions have also been raised over other public works projects.
The developments have placed Alan Peter Cayetano under increasing investigative pressure even as he continues his work in the Senate.
Importantly, being investigated does not mean Cayetano has been found guilty of wrongdoing. Any criminal liability would have to be established through the appropriate legal proceedings.
What happens when they return?
For now, the key development is that the Cayetano siblings are expected back in the Philippines on September 12 or 13, according to information received by Matibag.
Their return comes as the NBI works toward possible complaints involving the 2019 SEA Games and continues examining other allegations connected to public projects.
The NBI has not said that Alan Peter Cayetano is being arrested upon arrival, and there is currently no reported hold-departure order preventing either sibling from traveling.
But with investigators preparing possible cases and the Senate returning to its regular proceedings, Alan Peter Cayetano’s return could put renewed attention on the questions surrounding PHISGOC, the controversial SEA Games cauldron and the separate Taguig flood-control investigation.
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